Lake County Public Library
🏢 Marmot Library Network · Leadville, Colorado
Lake County Public Library
Perched at over 10,150 feet above sea level in Leadville — the highest incorporated city in the United States — Lake County Public Library is the highest public library in North America, carrying on a community reading tradition that dates to a silver-boom founders meeting on March 12, 1897.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–5pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 12pm–4pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1115 Harrison Avenue, Leadville, CO 80461
Phone: (719) 486-0569
Website: lakecountypubliclibrary.org
Plus Code: 85FM7P34+7C (Leadville, CO)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Lake County Public Library
Lake County Public Library has served the residents of Leadville and Lake County since its founding association was established on March 12, 1897 — a community effort in a silver-mining camp already called the wealthiest in the world. A $20,000 Andrew Carnegie grant funded the city's first permanent library building, whose cornerstone was laid in 1902; that original Carnegie building now houses the Leadville Heritage Museum. The library transitioned to county operation on December 1, 1947, and moved to its current home on Harrison Avenue, which opened May 5, 1971. In 1983 the Victorian-styled Leadville Room was added — funded by Climax Molybdenum Co., ASARCO, Day Mines, and the Boettcher Foundation — to house the Colorado Mountain History Collection. Today, at an elevation of roughly 10,150 feet, it is widely recognized as the highest public library in North America, serving a community that is approximately 45% Latine/Hispanic with bilingual staff and programming.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Highest public library in North America at over 10,150 feet — Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the United States
- Leadville Room (1983, Victorian design): Colorado Mountain History Collection with census indices 1860–1930, city directories 1879–1918, cemetery records, and marriage indices 1869–1989
- Tool Library (launched 2021, CHFA-funded): borrow up to 10 tools — power tools, air compressors, sanders — for 7 days; 18+ Lake County residents with an orientation
- Creation Station makerspace: Cricut Maker, xTool laser, heat/hat/mug presses, sublimation printer, iMac, iPads with Apple Pencils, and Canva Pro
- Bilingual services for Leadville's 45%-Hispanic community: Spanish-language collections, bilingual storytimes, Informe Académico database, and a Spanish-language WhatsApp updates group
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Leadville cardholders can stream, download and research free through Colorado's shared collections:
📚 Services
- Physical book, DVD, magazine, and audiobook lending
- Marmot and Prospector interlibrary loan
- Tool Library (power tools, hand tools, equipment; 10 items / 7 days; 18+; orientation required)
- Creation Station makerspace (Cricut, xTool laser, heat presses, sublimation, iMac/iPads; orientation required)
- Library of Things (instruments, telescopes, games, sewing machines, Colorado State Parks Pass)
- Read & Go Boxes: curated home/work delivery of books, DVDs, and magazines
- Meeting and conference room booking
- Copying, scanning, printing, and fax
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) services and interpretation upon request
- Colorado Mountain History Collection research assistance
🎸 Programs
- Kids storytime (English and bilingual Spanish/English) for ages 0–5
- Make and Take Club for tweens ages 8–12 (bilingual Spanish available)
- Teen programming events
- Adult programming calendar
- Summer reading programs (kids, teens, adults)
- Banned Books Week annual celebration
📍 Nearby Colorado Libraries
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Leadville · Browse all Colorado libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lake County Public Library really the highest public library in North America?
Yes. Leadville sits at approximately 10,150 feet above sea level — the highest elevation of any incorporated city in the United States — making Lake County Public Library the highest public library in North America, a distinction the library itself highlights and that multiple library and travel directories confirm.
What is in the Leadville Room, and can anyone use it for genealogy research?
The Leadville Room is a Victorian-styled addition built in 1983 with funding from Climax Molybdenum Co., ASARCO, Day Mines, and the Boettcher Foundation. It houses the Colorado Mountain History Collection — a non-circulating research archive including Leadville city directories (1879–1918), Lake County census indices (1860–1930), cemetery records, marriage and divorce indices (1869–1989), and jail records (1898–1956). Many records are also digitized and freely downloadable. Any library patron may use the room.
How did the library start, and what happened to the original Carnegie building?
The Leadville Public Library Association was formed on March 12, 1897. After two rejected applications, a $20,000 Andrew Carnegie grant was secured; the cornerstone of the first permanent building was laid October 25, 1902. When the library moved to its current Harrison Avenue location on May 5, 1971, the original Carnegie building was repurposed and is now the Leadville Heritage Museum.
Can I borrow tools from the library, and what do I need to get started?
Yes. The Lake County Tool Library, launched in 2021 with a Colorado Housing and Finance Authority grant, lets residents borrow up to 10 tools at a time for seven days — including power tools, air compressors, sanders, and safety equipment. You must be at least 18 years old, a Lake County resident with a current library card, and complete a 15-minute in-person orientation and liability waiver before your first checkout.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
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